Rack for phonograph albums

ABSTRACT

This disclosure teaches a rack for storage of phonograph records in jackets, which jackets can be mounted conveniently on a wall or like vertical surface for display. A lower channel projects outward from the wall and receives edge-mounted record jackets therein. A hinged upper channel retains the record jackets in the lower channel. To keep records from rolling out of their jackets a side member is provided. The upper channel can be connected hingedly by means of a reduced section and a clasp serves to retain the upper channel in its closed position.

United States Patent Hans Herrli Bellvueweg 15, Bellmund 3271;

Peter Herrli, Neumattstrasse 19, Port 6, Bienne/BE, both of, Switzerland [21] Appl. No. 765,244

[22] Filed Oct 4, 1968 [45] Patented Aug. 17, 1971 [72] Inventors l [54] RACK FOR PHONOGRAPH ALBUMS 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 211/40, 312/10, 312/50 [51] Int. Cl A47b 81/06 [50] Field of Search 211/40,41;

312/10, 20,50, 8, 12; 206/62 PR; 220/31 SR; D87/l .4; D9/224; 281 /20 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 956,516 5/1910 Brown 211/40 211/41 UX 1,501,087 7/1924 Anderson 2,005,490 6/1935 Baxter 312/50 X 3,202,310 8/1965 220/31 S R X 3,306,326 2/1967 220/31 S R X 3,254,927 6/1966 Harvey 211/40 X FOREIGN PATENTS 123,951 2/1949 Sweden 312/10 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant ExaminerAbraham Frankel Att0meysCharles E. Baxley, Frank M. Nolan and Thomas E.

Tate

ABSTRACT: This disclosure teaches a rack for storage of phonograph records in jackets, which jackets can be mounted conveniently on a wall or like vertical surface for display. A lower channel projects outward from the wall and receives edge-mounted record jackets therein. A hinged upper channel retains the record jackets in the lower channel. To keep records from rolling out of their jackets a side member is provided. The upper channel can be connected hingedly by means of a reduced section and a clasp serves to retain the upper channel in its closed position.

NEW ME! 7% SHEET 2 OF 2 A T TORNEY RACK FOR PI-IONOGRAPII ALBUMS SUMMARY OF INVENTION One object of this invention is to provide a rack, suitable for storage of phonograph records and display of their jackets, which takes up little space.

Another object of this invention is to store records edgewise in a vertical position so that the likelihood of warping or surface damage are reduced.

Another object of this invention is to accommodate positioning a foremost record in the front of the rack even though the rack is not filled with record albums.

Another object of this invention is to store records and jackets where room dust is of minimal concentration.

Another object of this invention is to allow the closed edges of jackets to be exposed side by side, serving as a legend of the record in a rack.

Another object of this invention is to accommodate sorting, insertion andremoval of record jackets with a minimum of stress or wear on the records.

Another object of this invention is to provide a decorative element of furniture which is otherwise well suited to its intended functions.

DRAWINGS PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As best seen in FIGS. I and II, a rack (generally designated 1) is mounted on wall 2 by means of screws 3 which are insertable via opening 4 into slots 6. Top bracket 7 supports vertical members 8, and top bracket 7 along with vertical members 8 collectively comprise back means" as specified in the claims. As shown in FIGS. II and III, ends 9 of vertical members 8 are insertable into sockets l1 and deformable leafs l2 bear on abutments 13 to keep ends 9 in sockets 11. Lower channel 14 depends from vertical members 8 and upper channel 16 is connected hingedly from top bracket 7. Hinge 17 is here provided by forming a reduced section of plastic with suitable stops in upper channel 16, although other forms of hinges could be employed.

Record jackets 18 are received on edge in lower channel 14 which, as shown in FIG. I, can be designed to accommodate many of such record jackets 18. Record jackets 18 are held in their upright position by lip 19 of upper channel 16. Groove 20 coacts with grooves 21 to permit upright positioning of a single foremost record jacket in the front of the rack, even if the rack is not entirely filled with record jackets. Grooves 21 are fashioned in upper surface 22 of lower channel 14 to permit rotation of record jackets 18 therein, for convenient fanning and sorting in selecting records, as well as to retain the record jackets in their desired positions. Side member 23 depends from right vertical member 8, as shown in FIG. II and also in FIG. III, and projects outward from the wall to prevent records from rolling out of their jackets and to provide a stop for aligning the left closed ends 24 of the jackets 18 which, as shown in FIG. I, form a legend for the contents of rack 1. Labels (not shown) may also be applied to the lower side of upper channel 16 so that on opening upper channel 16, the records contained in the rack would be identified. Clasp 26 is formed from detent 27 which snugly engages in female member 28 so that upper channel 16 IS restrained from a normal opening tendency.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. I, II, and III is a particularly convenient way for packaging the rack in a small container; yet it should be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains that the entire rack could be injection molded as a single unit. It should also be clear that this rack could be used to package records. In view of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that wide deviations may be made from the shown embodiment without departing from the main theme of invention set forth in the claims. Accordingly another embodiment of the rack is shown in FIG. IV which offers functional and aesthetic advantages over the embodiment set forth in FIGS. I, II and Ill. The embodiment of FIG. IV ineludes front 29 which is retained by hinged arm 31 whereby the record jackets are prevented from falling out of the rack if upper channel 16 is opened and whereby selection or record jackets can be accomplished using one hand only. The embodiment of FIG. IV also offers the aesthetic advantage of having border 32 framing the foremost record jacket.

We claim:

1. A rack for at least one phonograph record jacket having a record therein and comprising 1 back means connectable to a wall,

a lower channel depending from the back means and projecting outward from the wall to receive the record jacket edge mounted therein and substantially parallel to the wall,

an upper channel connected hingedly to the back means and moveable between a closed position wherein the upper channel retains the record jacket and an open position wherein the record jacket can be inserted in the lower channel,

at least one side member depending from the back means and projecting outward from the wall to prevent the record from rolling out of the jacket,

the upper channel connected hingedly to the back means by providing a section of reduced thickness therebetween,

the upper channel defining a groove arranged to receive a single record jacket for positioning said record jacket in the front of the rack and substantially parallel to the wall,

a clasp operatively connected between the side member and the upper channel to retain the upper channel in its closed position,

the back means including a top bracket to which the upper channel is hingedly connected and having means for connection to the wall,

the back means further including a plurality of substantially vertical members connected between the top bracket and the lower channel.

2. The rack of claim 1 with the substantially vertical members having leaves projecting laterally therefrom,

the top bracket and bottom channel defining sockets with lateral abutments arranged to engage the leaves for connection of the substantially vertical members therein. 

1. A rack for at least one phonograph record jacket having a record therein and comprising back means connectable to a wall, a lower channel depending from the back means and projecting outward from the wall to receive the record jacket edge mounted therein and substantially parallel to the wall, an upper channel connected hingedly to the back means and moveable between a closed position wherein the upper channel retains the record jacket and an open position wherein the record jacket can be inserted in the lower channel, at least one side member depending from the back means and projecting outward from the wall to prevent the record from rolling out of the jacket, the upper channel connected hingedly to the back means by providing a section of reduced thickness therebetween, the upper channel defining a groove arranged to receive a single record jacket for positioning said record jacket in the front of the rack and substantially parallel to the wall, a clasp operatively connected between the side member and the upper channel to retain the upper channel in its closed position, the back means including a top bracket to which the upper channel is hingedly connected and having means for connection to the wall, the back means further including a plurality of substantially vertical members connected between the top bracket and the lower channel.
 2. The rack of claim 1 with the substantially vertical members having leaves projecting laterally therefrom, the top bracket and bottom channel defining sockets with lateral abutments arranged to engage the leaves for connection of the substantially vertical members therein. 